Jim Harbaugh has no shortage of analogies — from gliding to childbirth — in describing his plan to rebuild the Chargers

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — Before the first training camp practice preceding the next chapter of the Los Angeles Chargers’ destiny, Jim Harbaugh was cutting across the field in his cleats when his eyesight caught the path of All-Pro safety Derwin James. Ever the one to engage a team leader and impart one of his Harbaugh-isms, the head coach called out.

“Hey … gliiide,” Harbaugh said, pushing his right hand into the air, as if to simulate a plane lifting off. “Glide today. We’ll be at 30,000 feet before you know it. Let’s glide a little.”

James reached out and slapped Harbaugh’s hand.

“I got you,” he said.

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If you wanted a snapshot of the Harbaugh dogma, this is it. Teach. Enthuse. Educate. Connect. Repeat with color and vigor. And above all else, never spare the zany analogies. None more vintage than what he shared with the media after that first practice, comparing the start of a football season with … childbirth.

“It feels like coming out of the womb, you know?” Harbaugh said earlier this week. “It’s like, you’re in there and it’s comfortable and safe and now — poof! You’re out, you’re born. The lights are on, it’s bright. You’ve got chaos, people looking at you, people talking at you. It just feels good to have it happen.”

That story wasn’t just for the media’s enjoyment, either. He imparted that one to his players, too. Including James, who had never quite heard his profession described that way.

“Nah, never,” James said with a laugh. “He’s his own guy. I love him. We love him.”

(Amber Matsumoto/Yahoo Sports)

Whether or not that will translate into these Chargers finally breaking through to meet or exceed expectations remains to be seen. But the way the operation is set up — and some of the aggressive change that has already taken place — certainly sends a signal. Like some of the more successful regimes in recent years, there’s not a lot of waiting…

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Author : Yahoo Sports

Publish date : 2024-07-28 03:06:19

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